Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Starflower by Anne Elisabeth Stengl (The Goldwood Tales) Review #2

Yes Dear Readers, 

I am posting TWO reviews of Starflower! This book is so good that it was in both of my main book review groups. That means, you don't want to miss it! I'll give you a list of links to her other books here in a min, and my other review for Starflower as well. But first, let me tell you this is a great stand alone book. You could read it first with out having read the others in this series. If you have read the others in this series, then this book only enriches the series more. 

Eanrin, the Poet. Earnin the Bard. Earnin the Cheif Poet and Bard of  Rudiobus. Ahhh, Eanrin! The man who is a cat and one of the immortal fairy folk, but who is also a self-centered selfish wreck! Earnin's character touches me deeply because I have had someone special to me in my life for quite a while who calls himself a cat. In many ways he is very like Earnin. I don't want to ruin any plots or anything for anyone, but in this group we often delve deeper into a book to discuss things in our review. If that worries you go read my other reviews and skip this one down to the links to my other reviews of this book and this series. If that interests you, read on. :) 

By page 225 things get really good, not that they weren't good before, but that this is what I had been waiting for. I love The Hound, and the appearances of  Lumil Eliasul. I have to share a quote from the book too.... "To love is to empty one's Self, " said the Dragon. "To love is to surrender. To love is to lose."  Don't we all know people like this??? I do! It breaks my heart and I wonder, if they could but have eyes to see and read this would they finally understand? 

I so felt for the Black Dogs. I couldn't help but feel for those monsters like Starflower did. The mercy and love that just flows out when you look deeply. I felt sorry for their creation and though evil from birth like us all, that they could have a different purpose and out come if they only reached out enough.

Starflower's silence - her inability to speak as others, such a curse placed on her from her birth. But oh! Isn't that a plan of the Enemy of our souls for all women!? To take our voices, to keep us beat down, hurt and in submission so that we don't speak and our voices aren't heard. This just made me all the more determined to follow some of the paths laid before me that I am behind on traveling! 

I did have a hard time feeling too much empathy for the Dragonwitch, the fallen Queen. It was sad that she couldn't weep, and what she had done and wrought in her life, but her heart was so cold and so turned that I tended to feel that she had walked past the point of her ever turning and reaching for redemption. It made her quite strange to me, in her lost tangled up mind. I hope that Anne will one day tell us why she made the choices she did to become what she is now, and why she can't break free and return to her former form. That really did make me wonder about that. 

Already I am waiting for the next book from Anne Elisabeth Stengl. I am grateful to get to read them, and review them, and thankful that she is writing! I would urge those who are at all interested in good stories, fairy tails, or books that could change and influence in a life to read them! 

Carol :) 

Starflower first review: http://carolkeen.blogspot.com/2012/11/starflower-by-anne-elisabeth-stengl.html
Moonblood: http://carolkeen.blogspot.com/2012/04/moonblood-by-anne-elisabeth-stengl.html
Veiled Rose: http://carolkeen.blogspot.com/2011/07/veiled-rose-by-anne-elisabeth-stengl.html
Heartless: http://carolkeen.blogspot.com/2010/07/heartless-by-anne-elisabeth-stengl.html

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Anne Elisabeth Stengl makes her home in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she enjoys her profession as an art teacher, giving private lessons from her personal studio, and teaching group classes at the Apex Learning Center. She is married to the handsome man she met at fencing class and lives with him and a gaggle of cats. She studied illustration at Grace College and English literature at Campbell University. Heartless is her debut novel.

Anne Elisabeth is also the author of the Tales of Goldstone Wood, a series of fantasy adventure novels told in the classic Fairy Tale style.


ABOUT THE BOOK
The Black Dogs Are on the Hunt, But Who Is Their Prey?

When a cursed dragon-witch kidnaps fairest Lady Gleamdren, the Bard Eanrin sets boldly forth on a rescue mission...and a race against his rival for Gleamdren's favor. Intent upon his quest, the last thing the immortal Faerie needs is to become mixed up with the troubles of an insignificant mortal. 

But when he stumbles upon a maiden trapped in an enchanted sleep, he cannot leave her alone in the dangerous Wood Between. One waking kiss later, Eanrin suddenly finds his story entangled with that of young Starflower. A strange link exists between this mortal girl and the dragon-witch. Will Starflower prove the key to Lady Gleamdren's rescue? Or will the dark power from which she flees destroy both her and her rescuer? 

If you would like to read the first chapter of Starflower, go HERE

The book link is: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0764210262 

Those of us posting during this book tour with our reviews are as follows:

Gillian Adams
Beckie Burnham
Nikole Hahn
Bruce Hennigan
Janeen Ippolito
Carol Keen
Emileigh Latham
Shannon McDermott
Meagan @ Blooming with Books
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Anna Mittower
Rachel Starr Thomson
Robert Treskillard
Steve Trower
Dona Watson
Shane Werlinger
Phyllis Wheeler

1 comment:

Rebecca LuElla Miller said...

Oooohh, a second review! Thanks, Carol. You went over and beyond. I'm glad because this is a book that deserves the attention.

Becky